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We present experimental probes of contact ion-pair (CIP) SN2 reactions for simplest prototype systems by 19F-NMR spectroscopy. This study provides crucial evidences for the reactions of CIP metal salts facilitated by Lewis base phase transfer catalysts (PTCs) [2,2,2]-cryptand, 18-crown-6, pentaethylene glycols (pentaEGs) and BINOL–based pentaEG. The 19F-NMR spectra of MF (M = K, Cs) ion-pairs in various solvents are used as fingerprinting tools to identify the CIP CsF/PTC/substrate complexes in SN2 reactions. Examination of the prototype reactions demonstrates that the novel CIP mechanism, which is in sharp contrast to the conventional perspectives, may account for the observed phenomenal efficiency of the SN2 processes using the alkali metal salts under the influence of various PTCs. In this extremely efficient and selective protocol of wide applicability, the CIP MF is activated by the Lewis base PTCs acting on the counter-cation M+ to drastically mitigate the latter's retarding Coulomb forces on the adjacent nucleophile F-, with or without the participation of hydrogen bonds. The bimolecular substitution reaction, or Sn2 reaction, is a fundamental transformation that is taught in introductory organic chemistry classes, understood using the backside-attack model. Here the authors provide evidence that the traditional understanding may be incomplete, describing SN2 reactions via a contact ion-pair mechanism with 19 F-NMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is a global health issue leading to significant disability and socioeconomic burden. Traditional treatments, including exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), are often limited by physical and temporal constraints. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of multidisciplinary digital therapeutics (MORA Cure LBP) compared to conventional treatments. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, controlled pilot study enrolled 46 participants. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a MORA Cure LBP group or control group, which received conventional treatment. Results: At eight weeks, both groups demonstrated improvements compared to baseline. No statistically significant differences were observed between the MORA Cure LBP and control groups in reductions in usual pain intensity (MORA Cure LBP: 3.1 ± 1.9 vs. control: 3.0 ± 1.5, p = 0.809), worst pain intensity (MORA Cure LBP: 5.00 ± 2.18 vs. control: 4.27 ± 1.83, p = 0.247), and functional disability (ODI, MORA Cure LBP: 15.6 ± 9.6 vs. control: 15.6 ± 10.0, p > 0.999). Compliance was significantly higher in the MORA Cure LBP group during the first 4 weeks (MORA Cure LBP: 74.7% ± 27.4 vs. control: 53.1% ± 28.6, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Both multidisciplinary digital therapeutics (MORA Cure LBP) and conventional treatments were effective in reducing pain and functional disability in patients with CLBP, with no significant differences between the two groups. Digital therapeutics, particularly those that integrate CBT and exercise, offer promising alternatives to conventional therapies by improving accessibility and potentially enhancing patient engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Subxiphoid single-port robotic-assisted thoracic surgery thymectomy using the single-port robotic system is currently being developed for minimally invasive surgery. This retrospective multi-institutional study is the largest study of its kind on this technique and is the first to compare the perioperative outcomes of this technique to those of subxiphoid single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery thymectomy. This novel technique was associated with a lower conversion rate to multi-port surgery, shorter chest tube drainage duration, and shorter postoperative hospital stays, demonstrating its potential as a surgical treatment option for selected patients. Subxiphoid thymectomy is a novel alternative to the transthoracic approach and sternotomy, with potential benefits, such as reduced postoperative pain and faster recovery. We previously reported the initial experience with subxiphoid single-port robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (SRATS) thymectomy using the single-port robotic system (SPS). However, the efficacy of this technique remains unknown. Thus, this study examined the multi-institutional experience with SRATS thymectomy and compared the perioperative outcomes of this technique to those of subxiphoid single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (SVATS) thymectomy. The data of patients who underwent subxiphoid SRATS and SVATS thymectomy, performed by three thoracic surgeons at three institutions between September 2018 and May 2024, were retrospectively collected. In total, 110 patients were included, with 85 and 25 undergoing SRATS and SVATS thymectomy, respectively. After propensity score matching, 25 patients were included in each group. The SRATS group was associated with a lower conversion rate to multi-port surgery (0% vs. 20%, p = 0.05), shorter chest tube drainage duration (1.32 ± 0.75 vs. 2.00 ± 1.29 days, p = 0.003), and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (2.52 ± 1.00 vs. 5.08 ± 5.20 days, p = 0.003). Subxiphoid SRATS thymectomy using the SPS is feasible and is a good alternative to conventional thymectomy. Further studies are necessary to confirm its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the remarkable progress in the development of sweat sensors, self‐powered sweat‐responsive sensing displays that detect sweat in electric signals with simultaneous and direct visualization of the sweat is rarely demonstrated. Here, a self‐powered sweat‐responsive structural color (SC) display enabled by ionomer‐doped block copolymer (BCP) photonic crystals (PCs) is presented. The sweat‐responsive BCP PC is developed by employing a cross‐linking single‐mobile ionomer (SMI) with mobile anions anchored to immobile polycations to a 1‐D BCP PC. The hydrophobic SMI‐doped BCP PC is mechanically robust as well as water and temperature‐resistive, exhibiting ionomer concentration‐dependent full visible SCs. Moreover, the mobile anions periodically confined in the SMI‐doped BCP PC harvest triboelectric energy, giving rise to a high‐power density of ≈0.774 Mw cm−2. Cation‐sensitive SC variation is observed in the SMI‐doped BCP PC, allowing the visualization of sweat containing various cations. A skin‐patchable self‐powered sweat‐responsive display is demonstrated in which kirigami‐patterned SMI‐doped BCP PC incorporated in the display can withstand up to 50% strain during exercise. Sweat from the exercise is visualized via SC display and measured using both ionic resistance changes and triboelectric signals. In addition, the integration of sweat sensing membrane into SMI‐doped BCP PC enables the quantification of sweat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Displays are an effective way for humans to recognize information instantly and intuitively without linguistic barriers. Electrical sensors detect diverse human and environmental changes through variations in electrical signals; these data are delivered to a display connected to a sensor via a microprocessor, facilitating human/machine interface technologies. The development of an innovative one-integrated platform with optimized architectures, where a sensor and a display are converged, is essential for achieving efficient and rapid information management with low power consumption. These integrated stimuli-adaptive and human-interactive sensing displays (HISDs) electrically detect external stimuli and display an optical visualization simultaneously. Among numerous materials suitable for stimuli-adaptive displays and HISDs, self-assembled photonic crystals (PCs) of block copolymers (BCPs) are promising because of their structural colors (SCs) resulting from constructive interference of incident light. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in stimuli-adaptive SC displays using self-assembled BCP PCs. The responses of BCP SC displays, operating in liquid cells and solid-type films, to various external stimuli are described. Furthermore, emerging HISDs based on BCP PCs are discussed wherein external stimuli are electrically detected and simultaneous visualization of stimuli-adaptive SCs occurs. A perspective on the development of next-generation stimuli-adaptive BCP SC displays and HISDs is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]